The Louisiana Democrat., 1887-02-23

not for ten years been favored with
Congressional honors; the time seemed
ripe; he would put his future to the
touch. He thought it best to take the
tide, for if he waited until IN
two years it should set toward the
Capitol again, something that he
within his heart might then
come to pass; John Earnings flaming
words might light him wrathfully to
the people then. That he secretly
feared might prove disastrous.
It surely seemed strange enough that
this great beaming bulk OF ambitious
earth should feel chill OF trepldation
run over him with the thought, but 1t
was not John Earling physically that he
feared, it was his principles, his hatred
of indirection and his tongue. Secret
ly he revered the young mans scru-
pulosity; all his life he had reverenced
honesty; from the bottom of his being
a worship of it like hidden incense
had wavered up, but at the top the
fires of greed, the lust for power, o'er-
Tapped and smothered it.
The campaign opened; an agent
from Joel with well-lined wallet APP
peared in Chicago; presently a bio
graphical, lauditory sketch of the life
Of Joel Whitney, one Of the self-made
successful men of Northern Illinois,
appeared in Chicago's heaviest daily.
1t was copied throughout the Open
stone district; added to, embellished,
and reborn. The flame was started;
Joel fed it with golden fuel; his agents
worked in all the primaries; brought
the nominating convention to Open
stone; set it up in the Openstone court
house, and set political Openstone on
fire.
Joel beamed and sweat; Mrs. Whit
ney, who had compassed the situation.
flushed, and paled, and saffroned, and
shook. and Julius Popp, unable to in
dicate the distracted condition OF his
senses by the position of his hat, car
ried it in his hand. The hotels were
alive with Joel's men; the delegates
were dined, and wined, and smoked,
and soaked; no such a man as Joel had
probably ever lived before; his benev-
olence was unusual, his modesty SUI
preme, his business capacity phenom
enal, and his ability to carry the dis
trict as regarded money unequaled
He scas nominated.
That night there was a great bonfire
lit upon the square, that plunged it!
huge tongues up into the darkness ant
relit q thousand little fires on cornice
sign and window. The streets were
aswarm with people, wedging, passing
smoking, grinning. shaking hands
grouping, melting, knotting again
with here and there brawled up abov
the murmur a drunken "Hurrah TO
Whitney,"
Presently Joel was upon platform
speaking to the people. He was happy
he was grateful, he was purple
and the people roared. How coul
they refrain? He was SO happy
so beaming, so like human bon
fire! Openstone was proud, at leas
a part of it was much elated an
, seemed dying to yell.
Absalom Heater listened awhile an
then went home, and taking the twin
' in his arms, shuddered; this unwonte
eruption in Joel, to him, seemed some
! thing appalling. But Julius was bt
! side himself with ecstasy; he woul
!, listen moment, his mouth woul
slowly drop open. then it would vel
/ John Earling did not attend; all da
rumors of Joers progress in the col
: vention came up to the office OF Bowt
, & Earling, and when the final al
!. nouncement was brought in by the dl
y mouth of Salvo Popp, Judge Bowt
threw his head back and laughed, an
: shadow went over the junior par
!. Eer's face. To one the idea Of Jo
: going to Congress appealed like
q piece of ridiculous humor, to the ot
E er, knowing his moral and mental III
4 fitness, like dark injustice to Il
f people. But John Earling worked Oh
n and in the evening was still at wol
# when he heard, coming in through tt
4 open windows, the hum and shouts
d the concourse that poured about Il
r streets, the music of band playir
J. upon the hotel veranda across Il
# square, and presently saw the tar
n volume of smoke and flame from Joel
q bonfire leaping up beyond the tire
Is tops of the courthouse park. I
= could family hear, coming throus
n the huzzas and noises of the peopl
T. the suck and hiss and crackle of tt
,t flames as they fed upon the huge he;
+ of tar-smeared barrels and boxes; tn
=. Joel speaking. and the roaring burs
IT of applause, pierced through by t
ii shrill calls and yowls and yells of bo
n as by crooked, awful needles.
le He ceased writing. The noises jarr
d him; and taking up a book he :
le tempted to fix his thoughts upon
TO But in vain; thoughts Of his own wou
D. intrude, and he laid the book dow
t. and, leaning his forehead in his han
1, upon the desk, let them have th'
i, way. He thought of the life of Il
se man whose voice he could hear, W
i'd was feeding the populace on froth,
= prejudice, on gibes. Could it be th
ID he was the peoples choicep He seem
e. to be. Was his life success? 1t seen,
'p to be, but there, like half the worlt
N shows, did it not end? Was "a life 81
e; cess that helped only itself? Of WI
I'd actual worth was it in rea,
m where millions needed helpp NJ
ri counting how sorely it gnawed t
If race, had not the space it took in
I'd world been better,always space? lfgo
it were the finer, loftier, noble1 part OF C
to alton, life's success and greatn
e. must surely be measured by the good
ty should achieve! And yet it was
ID weary, weary world; he was tired,
IN was worn; the zest and inspiration
ic his life seemed gone; he knew that
IS, weeks he had pushed himself forws
g without snirit. that his feet h